Thanks in part to a timely ace on a par-4, Sammy Schmitz defeated Marc Dull, 3 and 2, in the U.S. Mid-Amateur final to earn his first USGA title and a likely invite to the Masters.
Schmitz, 35, took a 2-up lead at the halfway point of Thursday's 36-hole final on the West Course at John's Island Club in Vero Beach, Fla. While Dull trimmed the deficit to 1-down through 27 holes, Schmitz was again 2-up when he authored the shot of the tournament, making a hole-in-one on the par-4, 290-yard 15th hole. The ace increased his lead to 3-up with three holes to go, and Schmitz closed out the match with a birdie on the next hole.